Closure for a roof ventilator

ABSTRACT

A pre-tensioned closure for a side exhaust opening through wall of a building roof ventilator wherein a damper is pivotally received within a frame opening and torsion bar biased to closed position and wherein the frame thereof is vertically received within the ventilator wall opening in a manner whereby higher than atmospheric pressure within the ventilator urges the damper against the torsion bar for at least partial opening for permitting outward passage of air, but the damper is normally biased to a vertically closed and weather sheltered position within the frame.

llite @tatea atet Field Mar. 28 R972 [541 1CLUSHJRIE lF OR A RUUF VENTHILATOR 3,384,112 5/1968 Smith ..137/s27 I 3,498,207 3/l970 Hazen..... ...98/1 19 X [72] Invenmrlndanalmm 2,774,099 12/1956 Thomas ..l6/l 80 [73] Assignee: Jenn-Air Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind.

Primary Examiner--William E. Wayner [22] Flled: 1970 Attorney-Kenneth E. Walden [2l] Appl. No.: 61,251

[57] ABSTRACT 52 115.01 ..9a/as,9s/119, 16/180, A P P F closure 8 a Side F openiilg through 137/535 wall of a bulldmg roof ventilator wherem a damper 1s pivotally [51] lnt.Cl ..F24f 7/02 received within a frame opening and torsion bar biased to [58] Field 0{Search 137/527 98/85 H9 H6 closed position and wherein the frame thereof is vertically 4 6 received within the ventilator wall opening in a manner whereby higher than atmospheric pressure within the ventila- 56] References Cited tor urges the damper against the torsion bar for at least partial opening for permitting outward passage of air, but the damper NI D STATES PATENTS is normally biased to a vertically closed and weather sheltered position within the frame. 3,396,652 8/1968 Morrison et al ..98/43 R McQuarrie et al ..16/1 80 X 4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAR28 I972 SHEET 2 [IF 2 Fig.7

CLOSURE FOR A ROOF VENTILATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION therethrough in downward and outward direction. Other arrangements include overhanging covers for weather protection as well as biased louvers which open in response to pressure within the ventilator, sufficiently strong to overcome weighted or spring actuated louvers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a closure for a building roof air exhauster.

Another object of this invention is to provide a closure which includes a damper pivotally mounted in a frame which frame is adapted to be received in the opening in a building roof air exhauster.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pretensioning arrangement for a damper to hold it in a normally closed and weather sheltered position, but responsive for exhausting air pressure above atmosphere from a power driven fan.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a pretensioned torsion bar for urging the damper to normally closed position.

Still another object is to provide a damper frame having condensate and rain protective features.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the roof air ventilator;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the closure frame only without damper;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the closure frame with damper therein in closed position;

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view through the ventilator looking down on the curb cap;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional detail ofa damper pivot;

FIG. 5a is an end view of the pivot device;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the frame and damper in partial cutaway and section to show details ofconstruction; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 77 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. I of the drawings numeral 10 represents generally a building roof ventilator mounted on a curb 12 which frames an opening in the roof. The curb is generally known in the art. It is a rectangular frame which is mounted around a vertical opening in a building roof and rises above the roof level for supporting a ventilator thereon. Roofing material is adapted to be continued up the sides of the curblike flashing.

The ventilator includes a curb cap 14 which is formed from flat sheet metal into a framelike arrangement adapted to be received atop the curb, and includes downturned weather protective skirt portions 16. The central portion of the curb cap is cut away (not shown) for passage of exhaust air upwardly therethrough to the atmosphere, or to receive a power driven fan blade (not shown) therein for propelling greater air volume to the atmosphere.

The four sidewalls of the ventilator are defined between posts 18 upstanding from curb cap 14, and horizontal members, not visible in FIG. 1. A cover 20 overlies the post and walls and is secured thereover by screw caps 22.

FIG. 2 shows a damper frame 24 having lateral or rim portions 26 and ridge portions 28 facing the rectangular opening therethrough. The frame is adapted to have pivotally mounted therein a damper 30, as shown clearly in FIGS. 1,6 and 7. The damper is for closing the opening in frame 24 and is pivotally mounted therefrom along its lower edge. The elevational view of FIG. 3 and the sectional view of FIG. 4 show the damper and frame received in a wall opening in the ventilator between posts 18.

The mechanism for mounting damper 30 in frame 24 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Damper 30 includes a tubular member 32 which is secured thereto. A square torsion bar 34 extends through the tubular member and is pivotally carried through openings 40 in mountings 36 which are secured to frame 24 by screws or the like 38. Full size views of mounting 36 are shown in FIGS. 5 and 5a. Cylindrical portions 42 of the mountings define bearing for the ends of tubular member 32. A plug 44, having a square hole, is received on torsion bar 34 for torsional movement therewith. The plug is fixedly secured within tubular member 32 by screw 46 which passes through the sheet metal of damper 30 and tubular member 32. As shown in FIG. 6, plug 44 fixedly secures the damper and torsion bar together at one side or end. The other end of the torsion bar carries an arm 48. This arm. is adapted to be pivoted so as to twist torsion bar 34 for initially storing torsional energy therein for biasing damper 30 toward the closed position as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 7. A bolt 50, upon manual adjustment, is adapted to pivot arm 48 for storing the required energy in bar 34. The amount of energy to be stored in bar 34 by torque applied by arm 48 is entirely dependent upon desired operating conditions and a predetermined pressure at which the damper is to be pivoted outwardly toward an open position thereby allowing air to flow to the outside. It will be noted that arm 48 is located adjacent one end of the damper but within the frame.

A strip of resilient material 52 is provided horizontally along the frame top to define an abutment for the damper when at closed position, as shown in FIG. 7.

It will be noted that while in closed, or nearly closed, position damper 30 is protected from the weather by an overhanging lateral rim portion 26 of the frame. When the damper is swung outwardly, rain falling thereon will run downwardly, but will be prevented from entering the ventilator by reason of upstanding ridge portion 28.

The closure, defined by the frame, damper and operating mechanism, is adapted to be removably received in an opening in the wall of a building roof ventilator.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that variations or modifications can be made therein without departing from my invention which is defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A roof ventilator having a sidewall with a rectangular opening therethrough for removably receiving a closure therein comprising:

a rectangular frame having a rim portion around its periphery and an inwardly directed ridge portion surrounding a rectangular opening therethrough,

said frame removably received within the sidewall opening,

a rectangularly shaped damper received within the rim portion of said frame and adjacent the ridge portion for selectively closing the opening through said frame,

said damper including a structural tubular member extending across a lower horizontal side thereof with its opposite ends pivotally received over pivotal support means mounted on the frame,

elongate torsion bar means concentrically received through said tubular member and having a portion adjacent one end nonrotatably secured to the tubular member,

at least the other end of said torsion bar projecting beyond the end of the tubular member and extending through the pivotal support for free pivotal movement therethrough,

an arm bearing against the frame and carried by said other end of the torsion bar adapted for movement for storing torsional energy in the torsion bar means for biasing the tubular member and damper toward a position for closing the opening through said frame thereby resisting passage of air outwardly from said ventilator when pressure therein is below a predetermined amount, but said torsion bar yielding to a higher air pressure within the ventilator and moving to an open position for allowing passage ofair therethrough to the atmosphere,

said frame with damper being removable from the opening in said sidewall to permit the insertion of another frame therein.

The claimed subject matter of claim 1 wherein the damper is defined as pivoted about a lower horizontal side H070 mln 

1. A roof ventilator having a sidewall with a rectangular opening therethrough for removably receiving a closure therein comprising: a rectangular frame having a rim portion around its periphery and an inwardly directed ridge portion surrounding a rectangular opening therethrough, said frame removably received within the sidewall opening, a rectangularly shaped damper received within the rim portion of said frame and adjacent the ridge portion for selectively closing the opening thRough said frame, said damper including a structural tubular member extending across a lower horizontal side thereof with its opposite ends pivotally received over pivotal support means mounted on the frame, elongate torsion bar means concentrically received through said tubular member and having a portion adjacent one end nonrotatably secured to the tubular member, at least the other end of said torsion bar projecting beyond the end of the tubular member and extending through the pivotal support for free pivotal movement therethrough, an arm bearing against the frame and carried by said other end of the torsion bar adapted for movement for storing torsional energy in the torsion bar means for biasing the tubular member and damper toward a position for closing the opening through said frame thereby resisting passage of air outwardly from said ventilator when pressure therein is below a predetermined amount, but said torsion bar yielding to a higher air pressure within the ventilator and moving to an open position for allowing passage of air therethrough to the atmosphere, said frame with damper being removable from the opening in said sidewall to permit the insertion of another frame therein.
 2. The claimed subject matter of claim 1 wherein the damper is defined as pivoted about a lower horizontal side whereby in closed position its upper horizontal side is sheltered from above by the rim portion of the frame.
 3. The claimed subject matter of claim 2 wherein the ridge portion of the frame extends upwardly inwardly of the damper for preventing rain from entering the opening after having fallen on the outwardly pivoted damper.
 4. The claimed subject matter of claim 3 wherein resilient abutment means is disposed on the frame ridge for contact with the upper horizontal side of the damper when the damper is in closed position. 